Ontario Fury goalkeeper Sanaldo, top, makes a save as he collides with Toros Mexico's Fernando Cano during a game on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, in Ontario, Ca. (Micah Escamilla/Correspondent)

As a 5-year-old, Bernie Lilavois started to spend much of his youth criss-crossing the San Gabriel Valley playing in the American Youth Soccer Organization. On Saturday night, 38 years after he began playing the game, Lilavois was back in uniform helping celebrate AYSO’s 50th anniversary.

Soccer is a major part of Lilavois’ life and that of his family. In addition to his AYSO days, high school and collegiate career. Lilavois has more than 20 years experience on the professional level as a player, coach and owner. He has played outdoors and indoors.

His latest venture is the Ontario Fury, a team less than a year old that competes in the Professional Arena Soccer League at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. Not only is he the president and franchise managing partner, but also the head coach. And because of numerous injuries that have impacted his club after eight league games, Lilavois returned to competition.

He first retired in 2001 but has come back to the game three times. In fact, eight years after his first “retirement,” he won the PASL championship as head coach/player of the Stockton Thunder.

But don’t expect him to remain on the active list much longer. He’s 43, ancient in the fast-paced game that resembles pinball without flippers. It was somewhat ironic he swapped his business attire for a uniform on the night the Fury became the first professional soccer team in the country to salute AYSO on its golden anniversary.

It wasn’t just a marketing ploy. More than 300 players — from as far south as Lake Forest and north to Hesperia — walked around the arena prior to the game as part of the celebration, and the Fury has had a steady presence throughout the area. Team members have conducted numerous clinics and stressed education and nutrition in addition to playing skills.

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“I grew up playing AYSO,” Lilavois said. “It’s an important program. Their motto — “Everyone plays” — is great because kids develop at different ages. And it’s all volunteers, that’s the greatest part. AYSO gets the community involved, that’s what we want to celebrate.

“This is one of the biggest areas in terms of regions in the country. Soccer continues to grow, and I think it’s great.”

How big is it? Consider a pair of locals — Landon Donovan (Redlands) and Carlos Bocanegra (Alta Loma High School, UCLA) — have been quite successful on the U.S. national team and in the Olympics. And don’t forget Diamond Bar’s Alex Morgan and her contributions on the 2012 U.S .Olympic women’s soccer team.

If that doesn’t convince you soccer has deep roots in the area, ex-Cal Poly Pomona soccer coach Paul Caliguiri scored the winning goal in a World Cup qualifying game in 1989 that propelled the U.S. to its first World Cup berth. In 2004, the Walnut resident was inducted into the national soccer Hall of Fame.

Cle Kooiman of Ontario also played in the World Cup in 1994 and later became head coach at Cal State San Bernardino.

Lilavois, who showed fans at Saturday’s game his passion when disputing a call, has been a member of the National Futsal team and, for five years, head coach of the U.S. national arena soccer team.

If Lilavois’ dream of firmly establishing the indoor franchise in the area, he knows he’ll have to appeal to soccer players of all ages and in AYSO circles, along with their parents. The Fury is fourth in attendance in the league at 1,763 per game. The top three teams are attracting more than 4,000 per game.

He graduated from Pasadena La Salle High School and is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. He attended Cal State Northridge and, in 1988, played on the team that finished second to Florida Tech in the NCAA Division II championship game.

He has so much confidence in the area he left a successful PASL operation in Anaheim to move into a vastly under-served area. The Ontario franchise is a family business, with Bernie as the president and wife Cynthia the manager of business operations. Not to be left behind, 14-month-old son Luke was seen spotted with a “general manager” credential dangling from his neck.

It’s been life at a breakneck pace for the family, which got off to a late start with the announcement of the franchise and then tried to build a team through workouts and tryouts at Upland Arena.

The Fury opened the inaugural season fast by winning its first two games. But injuries and inexperience have caught up with the team, which started Saturday’s game on a six-game losing streak. It’s a familiar story for expansion teams, regardless of the sport.

There remains time for the Fury to come together. Seven games are on the schedule, with a three-game homestand starting Jan. 19 sandwiching road trips.

It’s been another year of learning for Lilavois. With his interest and passion for the sport and his determination, it’s a family venture on the rise.